Former Nigeria President, Olusegun Obasanjo, says the attributes and characters needed to build a nation are lacking in many Nigerian leaders.

He stated that many Nigerian politicians and leaders are not fit to occupy public positions and should be languishing in prison or sent to the gallows.

Obasanjo shared this view while addressing six lawmakers from the House of Representatives on Friday.

He expressed discontent at the current state of the country, saying the country would not move forward until leaders changed their mentality.

Obasanjo asserted that in choosing good leaders, characters must be considered and questioned.

“Our main problem is ourselves and until we take care of ourselves, we may have one term of four years, one term of six years, one term of seven years, if it’s the same people and same mentality and way we do things, then it won’t change”

Obasanjo, who argued that the nation needs to rethink democracy and its style of governance, said priority needs to be given to the kind of leaders we select and their track records.

“Yes system, yes democracy, we have to rethink democracy, we have to rethink the form of government, but what is the character of the people in government?

“With all due respect, most of them should be behind bars, some should even be in the gallows and that is the truth.

“Now if these are the people that are ruling us, then what do you expect? So, the point is the character of the people that are coming to the government. Their attributes, the sort of people they truly are.

“We need to really think about how we select leaders, what should be the character of a leader we select? What should be their track record ?

“Where should we find them? Are they role models? And I think those are the first things we have to think about,” he stated.

The lawmakers’ entourage included Abdulmalik Danga from Kogi, Dr Usman Midala from Borno, Matthew Nwogu from Imo, Peter Aniekwe from Anambra, Kama Nkemkanma from Ebonyi and Ugochinyere Ikenga from Imo